The Merage Foundation for U.S.-Israel Trade

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1 The Merage Foundation for U.S.-Israel Trade Merage Foundation for U.S.-Israel Trade 4350 Von Karman Avenue, Fourth Floor Newport Beach, California For more information, please call Marshall Kaplan, Executive Director, at (949) , Tim Bolin, Associate, at (949) , or Sherwin Pomerantz, Israel Liaison, at merage foundation for U.S.-Israel Trade merage foundation for U.S.-Israel Trade

2 Expanding Israeli Exports to the U.S. THE VISION Paul Merage, President and Founder of the Merage Foundation for U.S.-Israel Trade: I firmly believe that Israeli business demonstrates tremendous entrepreneurial spirit and skills. Israel has the intellectual capital and the business leadership to significantly expand exports to the U.S. It can and indeed must do so to sustain a vigorous growing economy and to provide a better life for its citizens. The Merage Foundation for U.S.-Israel Trade The Merage Foundation is dedicated to increasing Israeli exports to the United States as a means to promote economic growth in Israel. The Foundation provides leadership training and education initiatives concerning U.S. marketing strategies to Israeli executives and top Israeli MBA students. Foundation initiatives focus on helping to build the strategic capacity of Israeli companies to successfully market their products and services in the U.S.

3 The Merage Foundation for U.S.-Israel Trade Inititatives Foundation Initiatives The Foundation covers the full costs of Students are nominated by the Foundation s The U.S. has been and will continue to be a key, indeed, critical trading partner with and provide a major export market for Israel. According to interviews with many Israeli business leaders and research initiated by the Foundation, improved knowledge about effective U.S marketing strategies will permit Israeli firms to increase their penetration into U.S. markets. The Foundation is building a strong partnership with Israeli and U.S. business, government, and university leaders. The Foundation, working with its Israeli and U.S. Advisory Boards, administers and sustains two major capacity-building initiatives. They are the Israeli Executive Leadership Program and the MBA Student Summer Education Program. The Israeli Executive Leadership Program The Foundation administers two ten-day Executive Leadership Training Programs annually. They focus on increasing understanding of U.S. best practices concerning marketing, sales and distribution, procurement, negotiation, and networking strategies. To encourage discussion, participation is limited to fifteen outstanding Israeli business leaders for each program. Faculty members include leading U.S. professors with extensive business experience as well as very successful business leaders. Each program includes lectures, interactive discussions, role play, case study, and the development of marketing strategies. Participants visit the leaders of key companies with an interest in Israel. The leadership training programs take place in Newport Beach, California, a major conference center located near the headquarters of many important U.S. companies and the University of California. Upon completion of the leadership program, participants become Merage Foundation Business Leadership Fellows. The Foundation provides Fellows with mentoring, continuous learning and networking opportunities. Specific criteria for choosing among applicants from Israeli companies include the following: Senior responsibility in marketing. Leadership experience and export responsibilities. Comparative advantage and/or competitiveness in U.S. markets of the products/services provided by the applicant s company. Commitment of the applicant s business to develop and initiate U.S. exports. Availability of or ability to secure resources necessary to mount successful U.S. export strategies. Applications are reviewed and participants nominated by the outstanding Israeli CEO Advisory Board. The Foundation s U.S. Advisory Board reviews nominated participants and makes recommendations to the Foundation, based on the relevance of the nominees backgrounds and their companies products and services to U.S. markets. program development and delivery, including the cost of hotels, food, and training facilities for participants. Participants pay only for round trip transportation to and from Israel. MBA Student Summer Education Program The graduate students enrolled in Israeli business schools are the future leaders of Israeli businesses. Every summer, the Foundation administers a twenty-one-day educational program for fifteen outstanding Israeli MBA students. The summer program includes nationally respected business-wise professors from highly ranked U.S. business schools as well as top business leaders. Classroom sessions are supplemented by office visits, presentations, and discussions with top CEOs and marketing experts. Through lectures, role play, case study, and the development of exportrelated marketing plans for real as well as hypothetical Israeli companies, Israeli students are provided the tools to initiate successful marketing, sales and distribution, networking, negotiation, and procurement strategies in the U.S. The graduate students enrolled in Israeli business schools are the future leaders of Israeli businesses. Partner Deans at Israeli business schools. The Foundation s Israeli CEO Advisory Board interviews nominees and recommends candidates to the Foundation. Generally, nominees are required to have finished at least 50% of the course credits associated with their MBA program. Other selection criteria relate to academic performance and potential business leadership as well as level of professional experience. Participants are required to demonstrate a clear desire to build a leadership career based on helping their future employers increase exports to the U.S. Upon finishing their summer studies, participants become Merage MBA Fellows. The Fellows program provides participants with important help and support as they build their business careers and implement strategies to increase Israeli exports to the U.S. Through the Foundation, Fellows secure the following: Professional development and mentoring. Opportunities to share business experiences with other Fellows through electronic newsletters and Forums in Israel. Opportunities to access leadership networks in the U.S. and Israel. The Foundation administers the summer educational initiative and covers its total costs, including the costs of student transportation, lodging, and food.

4 Expanding Israeli Exports to the U.S. About the Foundation The Merage Foundation for U.S.-Israel Trade was created by Katherine, Paul and Lilly Merage in The Foundation reflects their deep commitment to the economic health and wellbeing of Israel and their understanding of the reciprocal economic benefits associated with a strong U.S. Israel economic partnership. Financial support is provided by the Andre and Katherine Merage Family Foundation and the Paul and Lilly Merage Family Foundation. The Merage Foundation for U.S.-Israel Trade President Executive Director Associate Israel Liaison Paul Merage Marshall Kaplan Tim Bolin Sherwin Pomerantz merage foundation for U.S.-Israel Trade

5 The Merage Foundation for U.S.-Israel Trade Israeli Advisory Board Ron Gutler Chairman of the Board, NICE Systems Ltd. Chair of Israeli Advisory Board David Blumberg Chairman, Bank of Jerusalem David Brodet Chairman, Hadassah University Hospital Ami Erel President and CEO, Discount Investment Corporation Ltd. Dan Goldstein Chairman and CEO, The Formula Group Rami Kalish Managing General Partner, Pitango Venture Capital Dov Lautman Chairman of the Board, Delta Galil Industries Ltd. Leo Leiderman Chief Economic Advisor, Bank Hapoalim B.M. Erez Meltzer CEO, Netafim Group Chemi Peres Managing General Partner, Pitango Venture Capital Dalia Prashker Co-founder, New Dimension Software; Entrepreneur Zvi Yemini CEO and Chairman of the Board, ZAG Industries Ltd. Business School Deans Advisory Board Simon Benninga Jonathan Kornbluth Ilan Meshoulam Dov Monderer Arie Reichel Oded Sarig Jacob (Yaacov) Weisberg Tel Aviv University Hebrew University Haifa University Technion Israel Institute of Technology Ben Gurion University IDC Bar Ilan University Andrew J. Policano U.S. Representative, University of California, Irvine U.S. Advisory Board (in formation) Paul S. Berger Senior Partner (Retired), Arnold & Porter LLP Arnold Brenner Director, U.S.-Israel Science and Technology Foundation Lester Crown Chairman, Henry Crown and Company Marvin Lender Chairman of M & M Investments Marvin Levy Chairman Emeritus, Miller International Inc. Joel Slutzky Chairman of the Board and Director, Iteris Holdings Inc. Ralph Stern Former CEO of CareCredit, Consultant to General Electric merage foundation for U.S.-Israel Trade

6 A p p l i c a t i o n F o r m 4350 Von Karman Avenue, Fourth Floor Newport Beach, CA Application for the Merage Foundation for U.S.-Israel Tr a d e s Summer MBA Initiative, 2005 We are pleased that you are applying to be a participant in the Merage Foundation for U.S.-Israel Trade Summer MBA Intiative. The three-week program will occur in the Irvine and Newport Beach, California from July 31 to August 20, The Merage Foundation initiative focuses on increasing MBA student capacity to develop and successfully implement company-based strategies to expand exports to the U.S. The curriculum includes modules concerning cultural differences between the U.S. and Israel affecting Israeli exports; effective U.S. market analysis, marketing, and networking; robust sales and distribution alternatives; successful U.S. negotiation and procurement options; and U.S. trade policies. Teaching and training approaches include lectures, live case studies, interactive discussions, role play, presentations by U.S. executives, visits to corporate headquarters, and initiation of real-world business projects. Faculty members are leading, experienced business scholars and practitioners in the U.S. The Merage Foundation covers all costs of the Summer Initiative. Participants who successfully complete the program of studies may receive MBA course credit at their business schools with approval of their Deans. Subsequent to completion of the Summer MBA Initiative, participants become Merage Foundation Fellows. Merage Fellows receive mentoring concerning career objectives as well as continuous opportunities to explore key ways to increase Israeli exports to the U.S. Criteria for Nomination and Selection Applicants must be Israeli citizens and fluent in English. Except under special circumstances approved by their Dean, applicants must have completed at least 50 percent of the coursework (credit hours) re q u i red for the MBA degree. Nomination is based on high academic achievement, proven leadership ability, professional excellence, and ethical behavior. Selected Fellows demonstrate the capacity and commitment to assume key decision-making roles in the export of products and services from Israel to the U.S. Selection Process Ti m e l i n e Students must submit applications by J a n u a ry l5, 2005 to the Dean of their business school. Deans of seven outstanding part i c i p a t i n g business schools in Israel each nominate up to four MBA students by F e b ru a ry l5, The Deans submit their nominees, applications and supporting materials to Sherwin Pomerantz, Merage Foundations, Israel Liaison Office, POB 45005, Jerusalem; Tel , Fax Deans nominees are reviewed by the Merage Foundation s Israeli CEO Advisory Board and the Foundation s staff in Israel. 1 The Foundation selects fifteen MBA students to participate in the initiative by April 1, The CEO Advisory Board and/or Foundation staff may schedule interviews with nominees. Complete and submit this application to your Dean by January l5th, Please type or print neatly. General Background: N a m e A d d re s s : A re you an Israeli citizen? Ye s N o Do you speak English fluently? Ye s N o What other languages do you speak? 1

7 A p p l i c a t i o n F o r m 4350 Von Karman Avenue, Fourth Floor Newport Beach, CA Academic Backgro u n d W h e re are you pursuing your MBA degre e? When were you admitted into the MBA pro g r a m? How many credits have your earned in the MBA pro g r a m? How many credits must you earn to complete your MBA degre e? What is your concentration/focus/specialization, if any (e.g., Finance, Marketing, Strategy, etc.)? When do you expect to receive your MBA degre e? Please attach a transcript of your MBA coursework and grades up to the end of Summer Leadership and Management Roles Please describe leadership and or management positions you have held, internal and external to the University, if any, while a student in the MBA p rogram and during the three years preceding your MBA studies (e.g. military, business, community, non-profit groups, etc). Ti t l e / P o s i t i o n O rg a n i z a t i o n / G ro u p D a t e s R e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s / A c h i e v e m e n t s 2

8 A p p l i c a t i o n F o r m 4350 Von Karman Avenue, Fourth Floor Newport Beach, CA P rofessional Experience Please attach a complete résumé of your experience, including present employment, if you are employed. C a reer Objectives If you are presently employed with an Israeli company, do you expect to remain with that company upon receiving your MBA? What will your responsibilities be? Title? If you do not expect to remain with the company, please indicate why. If you are not presently employed, do you have a job lined up subsequent to your receiving your MBA? Ye s No If your answer is yes, where will you work? (Please identify the business/employer and economic/industry sector.) What will your responsibilities be? Your title? 3

9 A p p l i c a t i o n F o r m 4350 Von Karman Avenue, Fourth Floor Newport Beach, CA If your answer is no, what kind of job would you like subsequent to receiving your MBA? Please identify the type of business/employer and e c o n o m i c / i n d u s t ry sector. What sort of responsibilities would you like to have? C a reer Statement Please describe, in 300 words or less, your objectives concerning a business career in Israel, particularly your objectives related to developing and implementing strategies to help your employer increase exports to the U.S. Please attach this statement to your application. MBA Summer Program Statement Please describe, in 300 words or less, why you think you will benefit from the Merage Foundation s Summer Initiative. Please attach this statement to your application. Letters of Recommendation Please attach three letters of recommendation from academic, business, or community leaders who attest to your academic achievement, leadership ability, professional excellence, and ethical behavior. If you have any questions about the Foundation or the application process, please contact Sherwin Pomerantz, Israel Liaison ( ); Marshall Kaplan, Executive Director ( ); or Tim Bolin, Associate ( ). 4